Peter Dowdall: Why cosmos is the perfect summer flower

In the pink: There are many reasons to love cosmos 

Enjoy a beautiful display of cosmos during late summer by sowing the seeds now. Picture: iStock

IT PAYS to plan ahead, literally. What I mean by that is that with a small bit of preparation now, you can save yourself a wheelbarrow full of money later in the season. I recently sowed a packet of cosmos seeds in my garden. I love cosmos as they flower in late summer and into autumn when many other flowers will be going over. I also love the simplicity of their blooms with the intricate, ferny foliage.

That packet of seeds cost me about €3 and there must have been at least 40 seeds in the packet. If I waited until midsummer, it would be too late to sow the seeds so if I wanted to achieve the same effect, I would have to buy about 40 semi-grown plants and they would cost me about €3 per plant. Simple maths but a huge price difference and all because somebody else had sown the seed for me earlier in the year.